Sam Claflin becomes Finnick Odair for The Hunger Games: Catching Fire

It’s been a long time coming but Hunger Games fans can now breathe a little easier because the odds were obviously in favor of Sam Claflin as he lands the role of Finnick Odair in The Hunger Games: Catching Fire.

Claflin has been the favorite for the part of the trident-toting champion that won the Games at the age of 14, but an option with another studio was gumming up the schedule. There’s no word on what exactly happened but that issue was resolved when Claflin’s schedule cleared.

I’ve been curious as to who would land the role of Finnick but I’m a little sad that it went to Claflin. He didn’t seem to make much of an impression in Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides or Snow White and the Huntsman so it’s hard to picture him as the charismatic Finnick, who has enough charm to win over the doubting Katniss Everdeen. I guess we’ll find out next year if it’s a good casting choice or not.

The Hunger Games: Catching Fire is scheduled to begin shooting this fall, and the film is set to arrive in theaters on November 22, 2013.